To Sounders’ Jacqua, it’s a bloody good rivalry

Sounders forward Nate Jaqua sports a bandage around his head after catching the cleats of Houston midfielder Ricardo Clark in the first half of Thursday’s MLS playoff game at Qwest Field. (Seattlepi.com/Josh Trujillo)

Perhaps Seattle Sounders forward Nate Jaqua, head wrapped to stop his bleeding forehead, should be a poster child for the Major League Soccer playoffs.

Certainly Thursday’s opening match between the Sounders and Houston Dynamo was more about body blows than beautiful goals, given the game ended in a scoreless draw.

The two teams also drew some blood, most notably from Jaqua’s brow. It’s becoming something of a tradition, the second time this season the former Dynamo played much of the game looking like a Civil War survivor with head encircled by bandages.

Sounders forward Nate Jaqua goes up for a header against Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad, right, and Dynamo players Stuart Holden (22) and Andrew Hainault (31, center) during the second half of Thursday’s MLS playoff game at Qwest Field. (Seattlepi.com/Josh Trujillo)

The first time Jaqua got bloodied by his former team was in a U.S. Open Cup match at Starfire Complex when he needed staples put in his scalp to close the wound.

This time no stitches were required postgame, just a butterfly bandage across the gash through his left eyebrow, courtesy of the cleats of Houston midfielder Ricardo Clark.

“The ball popped up in the air and he went with his foot and I went with my head,” Jaqua said. “I got there a second before him. I don’t think he saw me coming, so it wasn’t malicious on his part by any means. He just caught me a little bit.”

In Jaqua’s rough-and-tumble world of soccer, it just meant game on.

He missed two minutes of action midway through the first half as trainers worked furiously to close the wound and apply a large bandage, then had to come out for another minute and a half early in the second half after that protection came off and the blood started flowing again.

This time trainers applied the full head wrap, Jaqua changed out of his bloodied jersey into one with no name or number and he finished up without further bloodshed. Not that Jaqua was done dealing his own bruises the other direction.

At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, he relishes the rugged style. If Houston wants to play rough, he’s not going to complain.

“That’s what I expect, especially against a team like Houston,” he said. “They’ve been good in the playoffs the past few years because of the fact they’re physical.

“Everyone fights. Everyone battles. I think we did that as well today. It’s something we’re going to have to do when we go down there. Fight for every inch, fight for every ball, fight for all the second balls. That’s what the playoffs is about, a little bit.”

That’s what it was about a lot on Thursday night, referee Ricardo Salazar letting a lot of things go.

Seattle coach Sigi Schmid wasn’t wild about the free-for-all.

“Nate seems to get wrapped up every time we play them,” Schmid said. “As I said, it’s part of it. I asked the referee if this is how the playoff games will be done. He had no answer.”

But Sounders forward Roger Levesque said Jaqua fits right in with that kind of game, particularly against the team he played for the past two seasons before being acquired by Seattle in the expansion draft.

“Obviously there’s some history there,” Levesque said. “He played in Houston in the past. But mostly it’s a testament to his toughness. He’s up fighting for every single ball, regardless of whether or not he thinks he can get it. And teams come back and tell guys to do the same thing right back at him. He’s a tough kid, no question about it.”

Jaqua was the only player who did find the back of the net on this night, pushing past two Houston defenders and knocking the ball past goalkeeper Pat Onstad in the 79th minute. But the play had already been blown dead by Salazar, who had called a foul against the Dynamo for taking Freddie Ljungberg down at midfield.

Jaqua was left wondering what might have been on what he knew was a golden scoring opportunity.

“I heard the whistle,” he said. “I was kind of mad because I didn’t understand why they blew it. I knew it wasn’t offsides. And it was one where I heard the whistle after (defender Geoff) Cameron had already misjudged it a little bit.

“I think they let up a little, too, but it was definitely one where it was going to be a challenge in there. It was a good chance, and to call it back was unfortunate. I guess the ref was trying to protect Freddie.”

The irony, of course, that when Seattle finally got a call, it wound up costing them a goal-scoring opportunity.

But this one isn’t over, it’s merely at the halfway mark with both teams teeing it up again on Nov. 8 in Houston.

“I think it’s becoming a great rivalry,” Jaqua said. “We’ve had some good games with them. And I enjoy that type of physicality and battling back and forth for every ball. I think that’s fun.”

Even when his head is bleeding and his eye is turning black.

No worries, says the Sounders’ big man.

“Last time I had to get staples in my head,” he said. “This time, no staples. I’m improving.”